THE THEORY of evolution, formalized by Charles Darwin, is as much theory as is the theory of gravity, or the theory of relativity. Unlike theories of physics, biological theories (especially evolution) have been argued long and hard in socio-political arenas. The history of thought about evolution in general and paleontological contributions specifically are often useful to the workers of today. Science, like any iterative process, draws heavily from its history.

The list below includes scientists and thinkers who have contributed to our understanding of life on Earth, especially evolution. The list is given chronologically, and is divided into sections according to themes in the history of evolutionary thought.